‘Satyamev Jayate’, says Bhupesh Baghel after CBI court discharge in sleaze CD case

On Tuesday evening – after the court discharge — Baghel wrote on X: “Satyamev Jayate (Truth Alone Triumphs)”.

“We argued before the court that all the allegations made against my client are false and baseless. There is absolutely no evidence to prove and substantiate those allegations,” his lawyer, senior advocate Manish Datt, told The Indian Express.

In his complaint, former Chhattisgarh minister Rajesh Munat accused Baghel of circulating a fake video involving him and other BJP politicians “to malign” their image and get political mileage.

In September 2018 – weeks before the assembly polls — Baghel was arrested in the case. Although the charges were bailable, Baghel refused to seek bail claiming the attack was political.

He was eventually granted bail. Days later, Congress won the assembly polls and Baghel went on to become CM for the next five years.

In February, Baghel, an MLA from Patan in Chhattisgarh, was appointed the All Indian Congress Committee general secretary in charge of Punjab. According to a source close to Baghel, since the Congress party’s loss in the 2023 assembly polls, Baghel’s role in state politics has remained limited.

But with Punjab elections only two years away, Baghel is now preparing to visit the state often, the source said.

“He has visited Punjab once, has held meetings with political leaders and has started preparations for the Punjab polls two years from now. He also met with Punjab leaders in Delhi. He will travel more to Punjab now,” the source said.